Compromised or Forced to Wed
by bella.breen
Summary: In Kindle Unlimited on Amazon-Preview chapters here only. - Subtitle - Sorry I Accidentally Exposed Myself And Now We Are Forced To Wed Even Though We Hate Each Other. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy are quite angry with each other as she had just turned down Mr. Darcy's offer of marriage. However, fate intervenes.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note - Another story! I'll do this one right and hopefully not get it yanked down by Amazon before I finish posting. As usual, this is not edited. Send typos, errors. I love all the readers especially the ones that review!

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"Forgive me for having taken up so much of your time and accept my best wishes for your health and happiness.'' Mr. Darcy then walked out of the Collins' Parsonage slamming the door.

Oh, that insufferable man! To think that he could have made his proposal in any manner that she would have accepted. For him to think that she would have accepted his proposal after he told her how inferior her connections were! "Arrogant, prideful man!"

Elizabeth could not stand still and contain her anger at Mr. Darcy. How did he ever think anyone would be flattered by that? Especially after finding out from Col. Fitzwilliam that it was Mr. Darcy's fault that Mr. Bingley left Netherfield suddenly and without proposing to Jane! "That insufferable man!"

Elizabeth was so angry she knew she would not be able to calm down unless she got out of the house and walked. She put on her Spencer, walking shoes and took off for her favorite walk in Rosings Park. "There had better not be anybody that I run into today!"

The number of times that she had run into Mr. Darcy while he had been walking the very same grounds had been too many. Elizabeth now realized that had probably been his version of courting. "Only such an egotistical and prideful man would think that I had been walking in that area specifically for him to run across me!"

She walked fast without seeing where she was going as she kept thinking back on what had just occurred with Mr. Darcy. The man who would always seemed to dislike her, who did not want anything to do with her, who had even told Mr. Bingley that she was not handsome enough to tempt him. Why would he propose marriage? It was preposterous! And for him to be upset that she denied him. "As if I had somehow induced him or incited him to think that I was interested!"

She could not wait to write Jane about this. Actually this was something that would probably have to be told in person as it would take too much paper and ink to tell properly. How out of the blue and unexpected was that proposal. And yet she could not tell Jane as to why she was so angry with Mr. Darcy. She could not tell Jane that Darcy played a big part in ruining Jane's chance for happiness with Mr. Bingley. How could she ever marry someone who had thwarted the love growing between Jane and Mr. Bingley? "Never!"

—

"Richard, where is Fitzwilliam? Did he tell you where he was going for business errand? And what business does he have in Hunsford?"

Col. Fitzwilliam fussed with this jacket. He was not going to tell his aunt the reason Mr. Darcy left was to check on Miss Elizabeth's health. His cousin had been quite concerned when they found out from Mr. Collins that Elizabeth Bennet stayed home. If Lady Catherine heard where Mr. Darcy had gone it would not be from him.

"I am unsure, aunt."

"He has been gone long enough. He comes to Rosings but once a year. I will not have him spend his time away. Go and find him Richard. Tell him I want to speak with him."

Col. Fitzwilliam bowed to the room and left. He was glad to leave as he had been tired of listening to Mr. Collins talk about himself or admire anything his aunt said. How she could stand that level of flattery and obsequiousness was beyond him.

Col. Fitzwilliam set out for the grounds of Rosings Park. He would walk the path to the Collins Parsonage. He expected to find Mr. Darcy on the grounds of Rosings Park. He could give Fitzwilliam a warning about their aunt's mood.

—

"Yes, yes, but I am exceedingly displeased."

"If I may suggest a new topic, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, the book that you recommended The Spiritual Readings of an Enlightened Mind has arrived. I should very much like to read parts of it to you as I have found-"

"It has arrived you say? Yes, do go and bring it here. I should very much like to see it."

Mr. Collins popped up from the sofa, bowed and backed away until he could leave the room without turning his back on his patroness. Mrs. Collins lowered her eyes embarrassed at her husband's obvious fawning. The only person in England who should be treated as such was the King of England. No one's back could ever be turned to him as they left his presence, however her husband thought that the same should be done to Lady Catherine.

"This is so vexing."

Mrs. Collins was grateful that her friend Elizabeth was not present with the mood Lady Catherine was in. With Elizabeth's outspokenness and Lady Catherine de Bourgh's bad mood, who know what could happen.

Mr. Darcy walked on one of his favorite routes on the ground of Rosings Park. He could not go back inside the house immediately as he was much too upset. How dare she think that he had ruined George Wickham's life? Would he never get rid of that lying millstone around his neck? He would have to write Elizabeth a letter. It was not possible for him to speak to her with any measure of civility after the set down gave him after he proposed to her. And he had thought the offer of his hand would be greeted with favor! To not only be turned down but in such a manner as to insult him! No, he had not expected that.

Mr. Darcy continued to walk through the grounds of Rosings Park without seeing where he was going, reliving that horrible moment in the Collins Parsonage over and over.

Mr. Collins reached the Parsonage in record time. He picked up the new book off his desk and then also picked up the sermon he had written for Sunday's service. He was sure Lady Catherine de Bourgh would admire his brilliant turn of phrase. He gathered both and immediately left to walk back to Rosings Park. He had not spared one thought to his cousin Elizabeth who should have been in the house suffering from a headache.

He was thinking so much of how Lady Catherine would admire his sermon that he failed to notice the village women walking on a path towards him.

"Oh, Mr. Collins. There you are. We had hoped to find you today. We have some questions and thoughts regarding—"

Mr. Collins stopped on the grounds of Rosings Park. "Good day ladies. I am on my way back to Rosings Park as Lady Catherine de Bourgh had sent me on an errand to fetch a new book of spiritual readings. I must hurry back to her you see. I do not have time to tarry."

The village woman would not be so easily put off as that. Though they did not have the wealth of Lady Catherine de Bourgh nor the elevated status of being the daughter of an Earl, they were both married to wealthy landowners. One of whom had a daughter getting married soon. They understood Mr. Collins needed to get back to his patroness especially if she was waiting for him. They were therefore willing to accompany him on his walk through the grounds to Rosings Park while they talked to him about the upcoming wedding.

—

Elizabeth had been walking on the grounds of Rosings Park not watching where she was going, replaying over and over the scene that had occurred in the Collins Parsonage between her and Mr. Darcy. She felt a little remorse regarding what she said to Mr. Darcy. However after remembering that he had disparaged her relations to her face, she stomped down on her remorse. "What a nodcock!"

She was so focused inwardly that she missed the large tree root in front of her which she tripped over and went flying because she had been walking at such speed. She tumbled and finally landed on her front with her dress up almost to her shoulders. She had attempted to brace herself during the fall but now her hands hurt too much to push herself off the ground. She turned her hands over to see her palms scratched and bleeding.

"And now this! This has to go down as one of the worst days of my life." Elizabeth tried to get up on all fours without actually using her hands. Therefore she was in quite an awkward position with her rump high in the air, her dress still up near her shoulders, her chemise completely exposed when she heard a gasp.

Elizabeth looked up to see a pair of highly polished Hessian boots with a long greatcoat. She followed the legs up to the countenance she knew quite well, having just seen it not long ago. It was Mr. Darcy.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note - I'd really appreciate some feedback on this chapter. I am not quite happy with it but had spent enough time trying to beat it into submission.

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Elizabeth blanched and looked back down at her bleeding palms. She was completely mortified and humiliated. Not just for being sprawled on the ground with her dress up and chemise exposed, but for being found by the man whose proposal she had just turned down. She struggled even more to push herself up with her wrists.

"Miss Elizabeth, you are injured. Let me help you up."

There was no way she was going to allow Mr. Darcy to help her in any way. Elizabeth did not want the man who had maligned her entire family and ruined the happiness of her dear sister Jane, to touch her. "No, thank you. I find I can take care of myself."

Elizabeth pushed up with her palms and gasped in pain. Her hands were more cut up than she had thought. Mr. Darcy held her arms and pushed her up so that she was kneeling. Her dress, unfortunately, was still up and now stuck under her arms. She tried to tug her dress and untwist it so that it would fall back down. She was having trouble considering she could not use her hands as she did not want blood to get on her dress.

Which was why Mr. Darcy was crouching down, tugging at her dress when they heard the exclamations of several people. If Elizabeth was not so mortified, she would have enjoyed the comical scene of Mr. Collins' mouth agape with his hand on his hat, and the two horrified village women covering their mouths.

"Cousin Elizabeth! What is going on here? My word, your chemise is completely exposed! And Mr. Darcy!"

At that Mr. Collins thankfully went quiet. Though Elizabeth could hear the two women talking amongst themselves. The story of her chemise exposed to all and sundry would surely be circulated around Hunsford within the hour. Which was why she lifted her arms up and let Mr. Darcy untangle her dress and pull it down. She also let him help her stand.

Though there was another problem now. Her dress seemed to be stuck above her knees. Her entire lower legs were exposed. She would not cry though. The awkwardness of this situation could never be topped. Elizabeth tugged at her dress but it would not move. "It is stuck on something. I do not know why it will not go down!"

Mr. Darcy crouched again to determine why the chemise and dress were stuck above her knees.

"What the devil?" Another person had just come across their predicament.

Mr. Darcy looked up and blanched. Elizabeth did not want to see who was behind her, but she did want to know who else had seen her exposed. She turned her head to see Col. Fitzwilliam. At least he had not seen her minutes earlier trying to push herself off the ground. Elizabeth would have covered her face in mortification if her palms had not been bloody.

Col. Fitzwilliam walked closer. "Miss Elizabeth, you are hurt? Did you fall?"

Elizabeth held her hands out, palms up. "I tripped over a tree root and tumbled."

"There was a twig stuck between the two which is why your dress would not fall off. I mean drop to the ground." Mr. Darcy cleared his throat as he stood. "It is no longer stuck."

Mr. Collins approached the group. "I must apologize for my cousin, Mr. Darcy. Surely, having turned down my proposal has made her desirous to apply any advantage to secure herself a husband. This shocking display and lack of decorum, I had no idea my cousin would stoop to such—"

Elizabeth turned to Mr. Collins. "How dare you? I have done no such thing! Do you not see my palms bleeding? I tripped over a root and fell. Mr. Darcy was being charitable and helped me unlike you, a parson who just stood and stared at me!"

Mr. Collins face turned quite red. Col. Fitzwilliam stepped around to block Elizabeth from Mr. Collins. "Come now, you can see that this was not done on purpose. Did you not see Mr. Darcy help her when she could not use her injured hands? I am surprised that you would think she would stoop to something such as that."

Mr. Collins would not be cowed though. "Her dress was almost completely off! Her chemise and her lower legs were exposed in their entirety! How can you deny that was anything but an attempt to trap Mr. Darcy into marriage?"

Elizabeth had a horrible feeling. This could not be happening. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Darcy. I am going to return to the Parsonage now."

Elizabeth turned, but her left knee was hurt more than she realized and she fell. Mr. Darcy caught her with an arm around her waist and helped her stand. The village women gasped. Whether they gasped at Elizabeth falling or that Mr. Darcy had his arm wrapped around her, she did not know.

"Your leg must be injured as well. Lean on me and I will help you back." Mr. Darcy continued to defy Elizabeth's wishes.

That was the last thing Elizabeth wanted Mr. Darcy to do. She did not want him helping her anymore. She wanted to be angry at him, to have nothing to do with him, not rely on him to get back to the house. But it was not to be. Elizabeth took a step and fell again but was caught again by Mr. Darcy. She could not deny that the warmth of his body, his strong muscles and his help was nice. However she was still quite angry at him for what he said earlier.

"I cannot let you leave yet." Mr. Collins unexpected statement stopped them.

"And why is that?" If Mr. Darcy's voice had been a whip, it would have drawn blood.

"As my cousin Elizabeth's only male relation here, I must insist that you do right by my cousin. She has been compromised."

Elizabeth closed her eyes and groaned. That odious Mr. Collins. If he could just keep quiet, she could get back to the Parsonage and nothing would be forced to happen. "I am completely fine, Mr. Collins. I tripped on a tree root. I just want to go back to the house to clean my scrapes."

Elizabeth stepped forward again which pulled Mr. Darcy with her as his arm was still around her waist.

"My cousin has been compromised, you must offer for her hand! I will not let her taint our association. I am a parson and can not have a cousin compromised and ruined! Lady Catherine de Bourgh would be most displeased!"

Elizabeth heard agreements muttered by the village women. Mr. Collins was lucky he was not near Elizabeth. She was furious with him, his assignation that she exposed herself on purpose and his thinking only of himself. Elizabeth hobbled faster. She did not want to be married to Mr. Darcy. She most assuredly did not want to be forced into marriage to Mr. Darcy.

Elizabeth thoughts of silencing Mr. Collins and getting away unscathed were short-lived. Mr. Darcy and Col. Fitzwilliam slowed and then stopped walking altogether.

"Why have we stopped? I need to get to the Parsonage." Elizabeth's heart beat rapidly. She trembled and knew she was on the verge of losing it. She had to get to the Parsonage as soon as possible before she broke down crying at how unfair it was. She was sure if it had just been Col. Fitzwilliam she could have convinced them that everything was fine and Mr. Darcy did not need to offer for her hand. But not with Mr. Collins and two village women as witnesses.

Mr. Darcy had considered ignoring Mr. Collins, helping Elizabeth to the parsonage and leaving her. His pride and his vanity was still hurt from her rude denial of his marriage proposal. That she had believed George Wickham's lies that angered him fiercely. But he knew he could not do that to Elizabeth. For he still cared and yearned for her even though he was so very angry. And even though he knew she detested him, he was still thrilled at the physical contact he had with his arm around her waist. He would not let himself think about what he had seen when he had first come upon her.

"Yes Mr. Collins, you can be assured that I will do the right thing. I do not however, want an audience for it."

Mr. Darcy walked again towards the Parsonage with Col. Fitzwilliam also helping while Elizabeth hobbled. They entered the Parsonage and sat her down on the sofa.

"Thank you. I am grateful for your assistance but I will go upstairs now and take care of my injuries."

Col. Fitzwilliam stepped forward. "Your leg is hurt as well though, is it not? I believe you need a physician."

"I do not think I need a physician. It is just a fall and I will be fine resting it."

Mr. Darcy removed his beaver hat and stepped forward throwing a look at Col. Fitzwilliam. Col. Fitzwilliam raised his eyebrows, bowed and then exited the parsonage.

Elizabeth closed her eyes. Not again, and in the very same room.

"I am sorry to bring up this business that you found so distasteful before. However, I am bound by propriety to offer for your hand in marriage as we have been assuredly compromised."

Elizabeth continued to look down at her walking boots. She clenched her teeth so fiercely that she was sure Mr. Darcy could hear her teeth grinding. Elizabeth realized then that she had been waiting for Mr. Darcy's actual asking of her to marry him, as he had only stated he needed to make a marriage proposal. Was he not even going to ask her? "I fear I do not have an answer for you as I have not been asked a question."

She knew she was being rude especially after Mr. Darcy helped her even though he certainly did not need to. He could have spotted her trying to get up and then walked off. But he was a better man than that and had helped her with her dress and walking to the Parsonage. Unfortunately his helping her caused them both to be seen by Mr. Collins and the village women which caused them to be compromised.

"Elizabeth Bennet, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

That had come out more of a statement than a question but at this point Elizabeth wanted him gone. She knew she was having trouble holding herself together, and she did not want Mr. Darcy there to see her cry. She was infuriated that she was forced to marry this man who ruined Jane's happiness, that had disparaged her family, and had also ruined the future of George Wickham. There was absolutely nothing she could do though if she did not want to ruin forever her sister's chances at marrying.

"I accept your offer."

Mr. Darcy bowed and immediately left. It was the most unromantic marriage proposal ever. It was even worse than the proposal Mr. Collins had made. And it was far worse than proposal Mr. Darcy had made not even an hour earlier.

Elizabeth finally broke down and cried and that was how the servant found her.


	3. Chapter 3

The Collins' maid helped Elizabeth upstairs to her bedchamber. It was not too difficult as she could brace herself on the walls and hop up the steps. The maid returned with a bowl of water, towels and liniment.

"Oh my! Your hands look painful. Whatever happened?"

Elizabeth had planned on keeping that quiet, but now that village women, Mr. Collins and Col. Fitzwilliam had seen her, she doubted anything would be kept quiet. Especially by Mr. Collins. "I was walking in Rosings Park when I tripped over a tree root and tumbled. My hands are scraped and my knee as well."

The maid lifted Elizabeth's dress making exclamations of horror at her knee. Her scrapes were washed, covered with liniment and then linen. Nothing was done however for her pride. The maid helped her change then Elizabeth laid back on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

It was interesting how fast one's mood could change when their future was no longer their own. Elizabeth's future was now bound to Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth closed her eyes and did not even bother brushing away the tears running down her face.

—

Col. Fitzwilliam caught up with his cousin, who had darted out of the Parsonage. Mr. Darcy had not stopped so that Col. Fitzwilliam could walk with him. "How is Miss Elizabeth? Were her injuries quite severe?"

"I would imagine not." Mr. Darcy's terse answer did not ease Col. Fitzwilliam's concern.

Something had happened between Miss Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy before he had arrived upon them, Col. Fitzwilliam was sure of it. He knew how much Mr. Darcy had favored her. Why then had his cousin barely been able to ask for Miss Elizabeth's hand in marriage when it was obvious they had been compromised? Why had he not spent much time in the Parsonage after helping Miss Elizabeth? And Miss Elizabeth could not even stand to look at Mr. Darcy. This was not a good beginning to their engagement.

"Did you not see the maid dress Miss Elizabeth's injuries?" Col. Fitzwilliam expected Mr. Darcy to answer 'yes'. Then he figured his cousin would detail the extent of Miss Elizabeth's injuries. However, when Mr. Darcy did not answer him, Col. Fitzwilliam realized something horrible. "You did not stay to see her injuries taken care of, did you?"

Mr. Darcy sped up his pace.

"Darcy, I cannot believe you! You just left her there? Did you even ask her to marry you?"

Mr. Darcy stopped thereby causing Col. Fitzwilliam to overshoot him and then walk back. "No, I did not see her injuries tended to. Yes, I asked her to marry me and she accepted."

Darcy's glare was a thing to behold. But Col. Fitzwilliam did not see it for long because Darcy took off at a fast pace for Rosings, again. Col. Fitzwilliam had to trot to catch up with him. "I don't understand you, Darcy. Why are you angry? You have been interested in Elizabeth Bennet for quite some time now. I know you would rather ask for her hand in marriage without being forced, but the result is still the same. Why are you so angry?"

"What makes you think I had not asked her to marry me before this?"

Col. Fitzwilliam stopped, shocked at the words his cousin had just uttered. Darcy had asked Elizabeth to marry him and she refused? Col. Fitzwilliam ran to catch up to his cousin. "You already asked her? And she refused?"

"You are correct."

Oh, no. So that is why Darcy had been dragging his feet about being married to Elizabeth. "How long ago did you ask her?"

He did not think his cousin was going answer. "About half an hour before she tumbled in front of me and three-quarters of an hour before you found us."

Col. Fitzwilliam stopped again. That was horrible, indeed. For a man of Darcy's pride to have been turned down and then less than an hour later to be forced to marry the very woman who turned him down was a Greek tragedy. Col. Fitzwilliam let the silence between them stand for a while until they were almost at Rosings itself. "Why did she turn you down? I am surprised that she would do so. Did she even have a good reason?"

"According to her mind she had several good reasons."

Col. Fitzwilliam grimaced. This was not a good at all. His cousin would have the most unhappy marriage in all of England if his cousin and Miss Elizabeth did not work this out. "Come Darcy, I have some very good French brandy that I managed to bring into England. Why do we not sit down and talk about this before we go anywhere near our aunt?"

Mr. Darcy nodded but did not speak. Col. Fitzwilliam could tell by the twitching muscle in his cousin's jaw, that he was still quite angry. And Col. Fitzwilliam did not blame him. If the woman he loved had turned him down with several reasons and then less than an hour later he was forced to marry her, he would be in a worse mood than Darcy was right now. Col. Fitzwilliam shook his head. He could not think there was a worse way to start an engagement.

—

Mr. Collins managed to get away from the two village woman. Even though they were mavens of Hunsford society, they were still of less importance than Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Whom he needed to see at once.

Mr. Collins walked into the room bowing low as he usually did before his patroness.

"What took you so long, Mr. Collins? I expected you back promptly."

Mr. Collins rose up from his bow. "I must apologize Lady Catherine de Bourgh, I was waylaid by Mrs. White and Mrs. Wimbley of Hunsford who had various-"

Lady Catherine waved a hand brushing away those other women as if they were nothing. Which they were according to her. "Yes, yes, yes. Do you have the book?"

"Yes, I do your ladyship. But I must tell you of what happened-"

"I am not interested in what those society women had to say. Hand me the book."

Mr. Collins approached Lady Catherine and handed her the book of spiritual readings that he had just received from the post. As a matter of fact, the book was so new that he had not even had a chance to read it.

Lady Catherine opened the book and ran her finger down the list of contents. "Very good. I am glad to see they included that. Oh yes, I imagine that would be quite a good chapter. I am much impressed with this."

Mr. Collins knew he had to alert Lady Catherine of what had just transpired outside on her grounds, yet he was loath to interrupt her. He glanced aside at his wife who stared at him, confused. He turned back towards Lady Catherine. This news would affect his wife as it involved her good friend, Elizabeth Bennet.

"Your ladyship, I must interrupt. Something occurred on your grounds that you need to know about." Mr. Collins waited for Lady Catherine to raise her head and she did so with narrowed eyes.

"What matter is so great that you need to interrupt me?"

"Something transpired on your grounds that was quite alarming. As I said earlier, the two village women Mrs. White and Mrs. Wimbley had questions about an upcoming wedding service, which I was of course most obliged to help them as I am a very helpful and caring person of my parish." At this Mr. Collins bowed apparently in thanks to his patroness Lady Catherine.

"Yes, yes, go on Mr. Collins."

"We came upon a most unusual scene. It seems that Elizabeth Bennet was taking a walk upon the grounds of Rosing's Park, tripped and fell over a tree root through no fault of yours Lady Catherine. Oh no, your gardeners are the most qualified and amiable, dedicated to their jobs as befitting a woman of your-"

"Yes, yes, Mr. Collins!"

"As I was saying, she had tripped and fallen. However her dress did not stay within the realms of propriety. That was the scene that the two village woman and I encountered."

"Is that it? Miss Elizabeth tripped and fell? You interrupted me for that?"

"Oh my, my dear Lady Catherine I omitted the most important part. I must apologize. I am so sorry I cannot believe I made a mistake like that. I did not mean to waste your time. Oh no, I understand-"

"Get to the point, Mr. Collins!"

Mr. Collins bowed again. "Your ladyship, your nephew Mr. Darcy was helping Miss Elizabeth to pull her dress back down from where it had been wrapped under her arms, completely exposing her chemise."

Mr. Collins heard his wife gasp and saw the color drain out of his patroness's countenance. He gave himself a little pat on the back for delivering this shocking news first. He was glad he had been the one to find the scene and not anyone else.

"You say he was pulling her dress down?" Lady Catherine's hand was raised to her throat.

"That is correct. When she had fallen, she must have tumbled quite severely. Her dress was wrapped up under her arms, almost above her shoulders, completely exposing her chemise in its entirety! Why, I was in shock to see such a sight! Col. Fitzwilliam, who also came upon the scene, was quite shocked as well. It was shocking, most shocking! Mr. Darcy tugged her dress down and helped her stand but not before we all had a rather shocking view of Miss Elizabeth."

"And you saw this? Mr. Darcy was with her when her chemise was completely exposed?" Lady Catherine clenched her fingers into the armrest of her great chair.

"Why yes, Lady Catherine. He helped her stand, but her dress was stuck under her arms. Mr. Darcy tugged, turned and pulled it so that it dropped down to her knees but then it was stuck again. He had to crouch down to inspect the bottom of her dress or her chemise, then he pulled off a twig and the dress fell all the down to her shoes. But by then we had all seen her!"

"And Mr. Darcy he was touching her? You also this?"

"Yes, yes, Lady Catherine. All of us Mrs. White, Mrs. Wimbley, Col. Fitzwilliam, yes we all saw Mr. Darcy pull her dress down to cover her. And then tug at her dress from a very close position while her lower legs were completely exposed. It was quite scandalous."

Mr. Collins was certain that his coming to Lady Catherine de Bourgh immediately with this information would grant him a higher standing in her eyes. It would definitely show that he knew everything that went on in the parish. He was sure she would definitely bestow some favor on him for this.

He would have to wait awhile for that favor for Lady Catherine was speechless. She leaned back in her chair, her hand still over her throat, her face devoid of color while she stared at her daughter Anne. Mr. Collins stood for a while not quite sure what to do. Then he looked to his wife, bowed low and backed away from Lady Catherine until he sat down next to his wife on the sofa.

Mrs. Collins leaned over to her husband. "Is Elizabeth well? It sounds as if she would have been injured by a fall such as that."

"Oh, her hands did look bloody and I think her knee was scraped as well." Mr. Collins was stared at Lady Catherine though his mind was not on his cousin's injuries or feelings at all.

Charlotte leaned back with her eyes narrowed at her husband as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. She had gone into that marriage with her eyes open though. As a matter of fact, she was the one that had put the idea in his head and encouraged it.

Charlotte pursed her lips and turned back to Lady Catherine. Her husband was too stupid to realize what he had stumbled upon, but Charlotte knew immediately. Her friend Elizabeth was truly compromised. She would be forced to marry Mr. Darcy unless Lady Catherine did something to stop it.


	4. Chapter 4

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Thank you for reading! If you would like to read the rest, you may purchase it from Amazon and help a starving artist! Or go to bellabreen dot com and read it online there after registering for an account.

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Mr. Darcy followed his cousin to Col. Fitzwilliam's bedchamber where there was a beautiful full bottle of French brandy. Mr. Darcy was quite ready to imbibe even though he avoided spirits as a rule. But with the day he had, Fitzwilliam decided that he could well and truly use a drink.

Col. Fitzwilliam opened the bottle while he watched his cousin prowl about the room. He poured a healthy glass for Mr. Darcy and just half a glass for himself. Mr. Darcy took the glass and downed half the contents immediately. Col. Fitzwilliam's eyebrows raised as he had never seen his cousin in such a mood. This would be interesting.

"So, that is why you left earlier? To ask Miss Elizabeth to marry you?"

Mr. Darcy drained the rest of his brandy and held the glass out. Col. Fitzwilliam eyed it, then took the glass and refilled it. He hoped his cousin would slow down. But he could understand the need to wipe out the events of the day as quickly as possible.

"Yes." Mr. Darcy took his glass only drinking a swallow this time.

Col. Fitzwilliam's shoulders relaxed as had not wanted to deal with a drunk, sick Mr. Darcy. "So what happened? You said she turned you down?"

He swore his cousin growled. "I did her the honor of bestowing a marriage proposal. I told her I had admired her. That I wanted her even though she had inferior connections, a lack of decorum in her younger sisters and mother. That I admired her so much I still wanted to marry her. Yet she said I had insulted her!" Mr. Darcy turned to his cousin with wide eyes.

"She told me that I could not have offered my hand in any manner that she would have accepted! That she did not even feel remorse for turning me down as I had not behaved in a gentleman-like manner." Mr. Darcy took a healthy drink of his brandy. "A more gentlemen-like manner? I, who strive to be a gentleman, always in control of my emotions, behavior and speech."

Col. Fitzwilliam fell backwards into his chair. "You truly told her about her low connections? The behavior of her family?"

"Of course I did! She had to know how much she meant to me. That I could not get her out of my mind. It was a romantic marriage proposal and she not only turned me down but insulted me in the process." Mr. Darcy drank his brandy.

Col. Fitzwilliam also took a healthy drink of his brandy. Good God, his cousin was the most intelligent man he knew, but he was a complete dolt. "Darcy, do you perhaps think that maybe she was not flattered by that proposal? That by telling her of her inferior family connections, her family's lack of decorum, it caused her to be angry?"

Mr. Darcy turned around with a glare. "It was the truth. Should I have lied to her? Should I have told her that I was happy to be married to her, to be related to her sisters that showed no propriety at all? To have as a mother-in-law a woman with little brain and less tact?"

Col. Fitzwilliam took a deep breath. He could not imagine anyone messing up a marriage proposal worse than Darcy had. "So, what happened then?"

"She proceeded to tell me of everything she disliked about me. She even told me that I had ruined the future happiness of George Wickham! You know as well as I do that is nothing but lies. Lies that George Wickham has spread and that Miss Elizabeth believed."

Col. Fitzwilliam flattened his lips as he remembered what had almost happened to his cousin Georgiana Darcy. There was nothing too bad that could happen to George Wickham because of that. And if he spread lies about Mr. Darcy's involvement, he surely told a very different story than what actually happened. "You will have to set her straight on that account."

"I had thoughts of telling her in person but realized that could lead to another argument. I had planned to write her a letter when she fell in front of me and this mess occurred."

To be forced to marry Elizabeth Bennet, Col. Fitzwilliam would not mind that. His cousin got all the luck. He drank the rest of his brandy and stood to pour himself some more. "So, she turned you down because of how you supposedly ruined George Wickham's life?"

"Not just that. She also claimed, and quite rightly, that I had taken Mr. Bingley away from her older sister. I had thought that Miss Bennet had shown no more favor to my friend than any other man. It turns out that I was wrong, according to Miss Elizabeth. If what she said was true, then I did make a horrible error in judgment."

Col. Fitzwilliam groaned. He remembered Darcy telling him about how he had saved his friend from a bad relationship. Oh God, Darcy. Col. Fitzwilliam drank his brandy.

"Well, what are you going to do now? You did offer for her, did you not?" Considering how angry his cousin was at Miss Elizabeth, he was not sure that Darcy had indeed done what propriety dictated.

"Of course I did!"

Col. Fitzwilliam spread his hands out in a placating gesture, then sat back in his chair. Egads. That marriage was going to be a horror. He felt bad for his cousin as he knew how much Darcy loved to stay at home. But with an angry wife, Darcy needed to find hobbies out of the house pretty quickly.

"Could you change what you did regarding your friend Bingley and Miss Elizabeth's sister? That would help Miss Elizabeth to not be so angry with you."

"I have to. I have erred and caused, according to Elizabeth, tremendous harm to Miss Bennet. I guess I will find out how much harm I caused my friend when I tell him."

Col. Fitzwilliam could not help but notice that his cousin had spit out the name Elizabeth as if he hated to say it. Hopefully Darcy would come down from his anger. Because he had to marry Miss Elizabeth and probably sooner rather than later.

"What are you going to tell our aunt?"

Mr. Darcy shook his head. "I do not know. I need to tell her soon as the gossip will be running through Hunsford. I need to come to terms with it first though."

Col. Fitzwilliam nodded. What a mess.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Thank you for reading! If you would like to read the rest, you may purchase it from Amazon and help a starving artist! Or go to bellabreen dot com and read it online there after registering for an account.


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